Question: Eighty-five more than the square of a number is the same as the square of the quantity that is $17$ less than the number. What is the number?
If the number is $x$, we set up the equation $x^2+85=(x-17)^2$ and solve for $x$. \begin{align*}
x^2+85&=(x-17)^2\quad\Rightarrow\\
x^2+85&=x^2-34x+289\quad\Rightarrow\\
34x&=204\quad\Rightarrow\\
x&=6
\end{align*} The number is $\boxed{6}$.